“Opening Doors on Croquet” Competition
The Croquet Association has launched a competition for member croquet clubs to win a share of £3,000; with a maximum prize of £500 per club.
We want to support new initiatives to welcome new members, especially those that will attract people from diverse groups within your community to join your club.
For example, perhaps you plan regular sessions for university students or school pupils, to engage with local faith or community groups to arrange a taster day for their members, to make access easier for people with disabilities, to change your website or to buy a new promotional banner for your club. Maybe you plan a scheme to make all new members, from wherever they arrive, feel more included and welcome.
But whatever you plan, the prize money must be spent on an initiative to make your club more welcoming.
Winners must provide an article with photographs for The Croquet Gazette or e-newsletter on completion of their project setting out what they have achieved and learned.
The deadline for applications is May 31st 2022 and, since the purpose of this scheme is to encourage new initiatives, prizes will not be awarded for any expenditure or commitments made before 2022 (even though we know some clubs have already done great things).
Applications will be judged on merit and in competition with other applications. It is probable that not all applicants will be successful.
Payments will be made soon after the winners are selected and will be made only into the bank account of a member croquet club
Judging Criteria
The judging panel will look for initiatives that are intended to reach out to communities and individuals that are not currently well represented among a club’s membership. We hope to see innovation and novel approaches, but these are not essential factors.
How to Apply
Send an email to p_h_brown#icloud.com that includes the following:
- The name of your croquet club
- A contact person, along with their email address and phone number
- The name of the club Chair and confirmation that they support the entry
- The name of the person who will provide the article for publication
- And, in no more than 500 words:
A description of the initiative, how you expect it to make your club more welcoming, what you hope to achieve and how you will measure success. This must include a timetable and brief details of the proposed expenditure. There is no requirement to supplement the grant with club funds, but you should mention this if it is the case. You can apply for up to £500 in prize money to support your initiative.
